After hearing Henry Walker's words, Miss Foster was utterly stunned. She couldn't help but size him up again, only to find it was almost impossible to match this person with the scoundrel who used to pester her. In her memory, this guy was like a mangy dog—spineless and thoroughly annoying.

But the Henry Walker before her now, though his appearance hadn't changed, no longer had that frivolous look in his clear black-and-white eyes. Instead, there was a gaze as deep as a pool, calm and cold.

Just this one change made his entire demeanor completely different. Close family like his mother and Yinling, who saw him every day, might not notice, but for someone like Miss Foster, who hadn't seen him for half a year, the difference was obvious.

Could it be that his head was damaged and still hasn't recovered? Miss Foster thought to herself. But she softly said, "I misjudged you, I'm sorry..."

"What's the use of just saying sorry?" Henry Walker sneered. "If you're really sincere, pay for the medicine I've been taking these past six months!" Although it was a bit shameless to do this, when he thought of his mother's unsteady steps, the patches on his sister's skirt, and his brother's runaway wife... he was determined to squeeze a few strings of cash out of this Sister Foster no matter what!

"That's only right..." Miss Foster wanted to take back what she'd just thought—turns out David Walker was still the same old David Walker! At this, her heart couldn't help but tremble. Was the time of being extorted about to start all over again?

Miss Foster's given name was Emily, and she came from one of the wealthiest families in the county. Her elder brother, Richard Foster, was even a government-sponsored student at the county school—a family of scholars, so to speak. Who could have known that a lawsuit two years ago would drag the family into ruin? In that very case, Richard Foster confessed to bribing county officials, which led to Henry Walker's father being thrown into prison, and the Walker family’s misfortunes began.

Emily Foster's brother was sentenced to be executed pending review, and the family was already miserable enough, yet they were still harassed by the scoundrel Henry Walker. For the past two years, he had taken advantage of the Lin family's guilt, claiming one day that his mother was ill, the next that his brother had fallen, always coming up with new excuses to ask her for money. Back then, Miss Foster was only fifteen, not as worldly and perceptive as she was now. She felt it was her brother's fault that Walker the scribe had been imprisoned, bringing disaster to both families. So whenever he asked for money, she always gave it.

At that time, the Lin family had already used up Emily Foster's dowry to try to overturn Richard Foster's case, and every expense was cut to the bone. But even after she later learned that every time this boy got money, he spent it drinking and gambling with his cronies, and the Walker family never saw a penny, Emily Foster still never let Henry Walker leave empty-handed.

She naively thought that in this way, her family was making amends to the Walker family, not realizing that others would take her kindness for weakness and push for more and more!

Half a year ago, Henry Walker came again. Normally, Miss Foster wouldn't see him—she'd just have the steward give him some money to send him away. But this time, Henry Walker said, "I'm not here to ask for money, I'm here to give money," and insisted on seeing Miss Foster.

Emily Foster had no choice but to meet him. Sure enough, Henry Walker pulled out a red envelope, which probably contained a hundred or so coins. But what was even more shocking was what he said next: this was a betrothal gift.

Miss Foster was dumbfounded and asked, "Who are you proposing to?"

"To you," Henry Walker shamelessly replied. "Anyway, your fiancé has already broken off the engagement. I don't mind—you should marry me."

Emily Foster's face instantly turned bright red, then ashen, but she also knew that with a shameless scoundrel like this, there was no reasoning to be had. If she tried to throw him out, who knew what kind of trouble this rascal would cause!

Thinking it over, she came up with an idea and, suppressing her disgust, said to Henry Walker, "I've already been rejected by my fiancé. I'm very moved that you don't mind, but I've sworn an oath: whoever can clear my family's name and overturn the case, I will marry him, even as a servant or concubine. Otherwise, I will never marry in this life!"

"Huh?" Henry Walker exclaimed in surprise. "Why would you make such an oath?"

"If my brother's injustice isn't redressed, my life is not worth living. How could I even think of marriage?" Miss Foster sighed, her eyes instantly reddening—no acting required.

"Uh..." Henry Walker said reluctantly, "What happens if you break your oath?"

"If I break this oath, may I be struck by lightning and fall into the eighteenth level of hell forever!" Emily Foster glanced at him and said, "As for my future husband, may he be covered in sores and die a rotten death!"

Henry Walker broke out in goosebumps and shivered. "You women are ruthless," he said. He certainly didn't want to die covered in sores.

Emily Foster thought this would surely make him back off and never bring it up again. She took out a banknote, intending to send him away.

But to her surprise, Henry Walker refused the money this time, patting his chest and saying, "All these years, you've treated me better than my own mother..." Miss Foster nearly spat blood, but he went on, "In this world, loyalty is what matters most. I'll help you with this!"

Miss Foster was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. "How are you going to help?"

"Heh, I haven't figured that out yet," Henry Walker scratched his head and grinned. "Once I do, I'll let you know..."

After that, Henry Walker left, and Emily Foster put the matter out of her mind. Who would place even a shred of hope on someone like David Walker?